Lots of Playable Characters
Much like with other LEGO video games, there are a ton of playable characters you can be that go beyond even the nine Fellowship members such as Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn and gang. For the first ever time in a video game, Gollum is playable as is other lesser known characters from the trilogy such as Faramir, Eowyn and even the Ents. During the game’s “free play” mode, you can even play as the baddies in the game such as the Orcs and even Saruman among others.

Not

No Online Multiplayer
Although it’s great to see that the game includes offline splitscreen co-op, there is still no option for you to play the game online with a mate. Considering a game like Resident Evil 6 gives you the option to play the game cooperatively both online and offline, you would think the LEGO series would have included this option by now. Most gamers own a second controller anyway so this isn’t too much of a problem, but it might be a problem if you wanted to play the game with an online friend…

Screen Tearing And Some Long Load Times
The graphics in LEGO The Lord of the Rings is really impressive as aforementioned earlier in this review, but you will notice some jarring screen tearing during some periods of the game. This only occurs during some cutscenes in the game or if the camera is zooming out.

The loading times aren’t bad, although they are noticeably long during some moments in the game. They are especially long once you finish a movie/book and are about to start a new one. I remember waiting for quite a while when I finished The Two Towers and started The Return of the King story.

Verdict

Despite the minor flaws, LEGO The Lord of the Rings is without question the best ever Lord of the Rings game ever made. If you are a huge fan of Peter Jackson’s excellent films, this game is a perfect way to relive their greatness all over again. It is also a perfect way to hype yourself up with the upcoming release of The Hobbit later this month too!

[Editor’s Note: LEGO The Lord of the Rings was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]

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